The Obama Administration and U.S. Strategy

No president could restructure U.S. national security strategy, U.S. force plans and procurement plans, and the key aspects of U.S. plans, programs, and budgets in 100 days. Barack Obama takes office at a time when much of the coming year’s budget is already drafted, and much of the current fiscal year’s budget is spent. The formal cycles for drafting new U.S. strategy documents are not linked to the timing of election, and a new president inherits the previous president’s “white papers” at a point in the calendar where updates are not due for months or even years.

This new report by the Burke Chair describes what the new administration has and has not accomplished in changing America’s national security posture during its first 100 days.